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Sneaking things in under the radar!

MarkF

By MarkF
in The Astro Lounge

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MarkF

MarkF

Posted
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Okay, here's the plan.....

Getting back into sky gazing bit by bit without the wife realising, I've already had the rebuff about all the other "hobby" stuff in the garage and when I mentioned the price of imaging equipment the D word was mentioned. (D = Decorating)

So I came up with the cunning plan working up to the Oct/Nov deadline when the skies will be darker and cloudier.

So far I have smuggled in a book last month, this month an EP from Ebay and ahem 3 second hand EPs from this forum (you know who you are that tempted me :D)

June should see a Cheshire collimator and maybe a RDF in anticipation for operation "Large cardboard boxes? WTF did they come from?" around Sept or Oct. I am sure I will see a few more bits and bobs that will come in handy for July and Aug, I am being quite sensible about it really, I really want to image but, as this is my second bite at the Astro bug need to make sure I have the time unlike my first foray back in the nineties. Therefore I am going for a Dob prolly 10 inch to replace my ageing 4.5 reflector on a wobbly and creaking EQ mount/wooden tripod. With a view, if I am still alive and interested, of imaging later in 2011 when I should have funds to throw at a bit of kit.

So come on, confess, did you sneak stuff in and how did you do it? I am all ears for some tips on a 10" Dob that's for certain, small packets I can weather especially as I do the accounts for the house.

Tell me your secrets, Please!!

:)

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yeti monster

yeti monster

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Being of a hedonistic nature, if I want something, I generally just get it and damn the torpedoes!

BTW, what's this 4.5" reflector you need to shift? How much? How old? and can I place first dibs on it (pending the answers to the previous Qs).

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MarkF

MarkF

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Being of a hedonistic nature, if I want something, I generally just get it and damn the torpedoes!

BTW, what's this 4.5" reflector you need to shift? How much? How old? and can I place first dibs on it (pending the answers to the previous Qs).

Well 2 months ago I blew 1500 quid on an AV amp and speakers so I am just treading a bit carefully, as I normally do go for it, my best so far is a trip to PC world and buying a brand new car from the garage opposite. Actually thinking about it I went to a caravan dealer to buy some string to fix the bed on our ageing caravan and bought a brand new caravan whilst on holiday, sometimes things are meant to be :)

As to the scope its a Celestron 114 firstscope circa 1995/6 been in the loft the last 10 years all boxed up, having a few collimation problems ATM as I am seeing a ghost image at higher mag.

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Llamanaut

Llamanaut

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when i decided to get back into astronomy i dropped a few hints like oh wonders of the solar system is fantastic isnt it? and i wonder what saturn would look like in a telescope? Eventually her indoors cottoned on and said she could see where this was going... i did get the 'fad that wont last' lecture but ive persevered to the point of obsession with astronomy. When the 12" arrived however she almost blew a fuse because apparently i didnt tell her how big it would be... eventually they calm down, i did have to clear a space in the outbuilding for it to live however... good luck sneaking your 10" in

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crowlord

crowlord

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i did mean the scope not the wife :)

PMSL (and getting odd looks as I am at work!)

My worst so far was very minor. To this day my wife doesnt know that the 33.6K Modem that my boss gave me was a brand new 56K one...add to this the astronomical phone bills...

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Astro_Baby

Astro_Baby

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Me and other half have a management meeting. Each of us is allowed to spend £30 a month on anything we like without recourse to having to justify it. Anything else we have to justify the spending to the other party.

We operate the household finance as if it were a company operation, assign priorities, establish whether its a want or a need, decide how much monet will be allocated etc.

Its all very calm and dispassionate because both of us have been to the ragged edge of financial chaos in our lives an both have us have been, at one time, close to death which sharpens up the ability to see whats really important.

So we dont sneak stuff in at all. Sorry.

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JamesM

JamesM

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Hi Mark,

Is it just me, but when I was reading your original post above, I was reading it to myself in a whispering voice -spooky!!!:)

The small stuff is straight forward to get in past 'customs' but the problem comes with the bigger gear namely scope and mount. I have thought on many occasion about a tunnel under the house but of course its not getting the stuff inside, its getting the lot back out again when you start observing. I mean, taking a lead from the Great Escape (...we all know that feeling :D) there's only so much you can put down your trousers as you walk to the car. :):D (...certainly one way of putting your collimation out :headbang:)

The real solution is to make out its not new! Here's the plan. Join an astro society and go along (or pretend) for a few weeks. When you finally make a purchase, get it delivered to a friend or family address and unpack the gear there. Then one night when you arrive home from 'the society', claim that a guy was selling this stuff and you were able to knock him down a few quid and therefore, you managed to pick up an absolute bargain - I mean you would be silly not to. Here's the sly bit - with money you've 'saved' take her-in-doors out for the evening. For those of you reading this tale of intrigue, please do not be misguided! The reason for the meal is not to keep the 'customs officer' sweet - oh no. It is purely to implement her in the crime, in that she would not have had such a nice night out had it not been for your 'wise' purchase and therefore in effect has agreed to your purchase. You never know - a nice night out might lead you into participating in a bit of, shall we say 'duty free' (...but I wouldn't count on it! :(:D)

Sorry to reveal this aspect of my personality to the forum (...I am deeply ashamed) but where there's a need! For any female members reading this all I would say is JUSTICE! :(:D I've lost count of my other half's classic line, we've all heard it, ..."Oh that, I bought it ages ago, don't you remember". The answer is - yes I do remember and that's why I'm buying this kit!:)

James (...now seen walking around the house with what looks like a suspicious bump on his head!)

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brantuk

brantuk

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I must be so lucky - my partner is one who believes in spending it if you've got it cos we ain't on this planet for long and doesn't want to regret missing anything.

Not only that but she loves the views that I set up for her and engages in the hobby in every way possible. She's no idea about focal lengths, ha filters, or pixel sizes etc, but will sit for hours with registax/photoshop etc tweaking and improving pics.

First thing to come out at any obs session is her sky scout so she can id stuff for me during alignment. I still get nagged about the dishes - but lets face it - that's gonna happen anyway lol :)

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Sam

Sam

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Sometimes things just appear amongst my astro gear. When questioned the normal response is "oh that, nah had it for ages" or "it came with the telescope".:)

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yeti monster

yeti monster

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Another tic-tac, would be to grossly inflate the cost of another purchase, tyres for the c*r, perhaps, then squirrel that money away and deduct it from the cost of some astro must have, thus giving the impression of have actually secured a bargain.

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MarkF

MarkF

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Me and other half have a management meeting. Each of us is allowed to spend £30 a month on anything we like without recourse to having to justify it. Anything else we have to justify the spending to the other party.

Eminently sensible and a good arrangement, being sensible for a second this is all very much TIC, but us blokes like a good yarn :( fortunately we have been married for 27 years and haven't broken the bank yet despite having two kids and we know what its like to have to cut back I can tell you. But fortunately having not wasted money down the night clubs instead having a mortgage as youngsters, we are reaping the benefits now and actually have some disposable income.

Hi Mark,

Is it just me, but when I was reading your original post above, I was reading it to myself in a whispering voice -spooky!!!:(

Its probably just you, I was writing it with a loud voice giving a briefing :(

The small stuff is straight forward to get in past 'customs' but the problem comes with the bigger gear namely scope and mount. I have thought on many occasion about a tunnel under the house but of course its not getting the stuff inside, its getting the lot back out again when you start observing. I mean, taking a lead from the Great Escape (...we all know that feeling ) there's only so much you can put down your trousers as you walk to the car. (...certainly one way of putting your collimation out )

LOL, I feel certain I would be rumbled straight away if i walked in with a 10 incher down my trousers :headbang:

James you made me laugh out loud, some cracking ideas there :D

You could do the "Radar O'Reilly" sending a jeep home one piece at a time trick, gradually assembling you telescope and mount over the summer until suddenly you have that 16" lightbridge you always dreamed of..............

That's the idea :)

I think the penny will drop with your wife when you are not in bed at night. Unless of course you have thought about that too and have taken ownership of a manequin.

Got that covered Paul, I work night shifts every 3 weeks :)

I must be so lucky - my partner is one who believes in spending it if you've got it cos we ain't on this planet for long and doesn't want to regret missing anything.

That's actually our philosophy too, so many friends and family taken through illness and sudden accidents, we have no long term savings (my money is all tied up in pensions), its just what to spend it on is where the views differ :)

What a great forum this is and nice to know I am on the same wavelength of many people, now if I can just convince her my hobbies will earn us some money.....

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Robert Watson

Robert Watson

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Thank God, I thought i was the only one that got up to this, Got EP'S with scope Bloke at work was selling it cheap. But my best one was i wanted a 10" dob the enemy wanted a bike after the piece pipe was finished she got the bike for xmas i got the 10" for 2 Father's day 3x Birthday's 2 x xmas's and 1x anaversery present.

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